Dissertation Research: Biomechanics and Ontogeny of Phalangeal Curvature in Catarrhine Primates

论文研究：卡他灵长类动物指骨曲率的生物力学和个体发育

• 批准号: 9624726
• 负责人: William Jungers
• 金额: $ 1万
• 依托单位: SUNY at Stony Brook
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 1996
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 1996-04-01 至 1998-09-30
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=9624726&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Dissertation; Research; Biomechanics; Ontogeny; Phalangeal

The goal of this research is to investigate the factors responsible for curvature in the phalanges (the bones of the fingers and toes) in higher primates. Primates that regularly grip branches during movement appear to have more curved phalanges than those that walk on the ground. As such, finger bones have historically been very useful for interpreting behavior in fossil species, including early human ancestors. However, we do not understand 1) what aspects of the mechanics of arboreal locomotion lead to phalangeal curvature and 2) how curvature develops. This research will incorporate new analytical (i.e., finite element analysis) and data acquisition (i.e., pressure sensor pads, strain gauges on cadavers) techniques to test existing hypotheses regarding phalangeal curvature by comparing how living arboreal and terrestrial primates use their hands during locomotion. Finally, the debate over how to interpret primitive morphology, important to all paleontologists interested in the reconstruction of behavior from fossil morphology, will be addressed by examining whether or not phalangeal curvature develops in response to loads experienced during growth or whether curvature is merely `phylogenetic baggage`.

这项研究的目的是调查导致高等灵长类动物指骨（手指和脚趾的骨头）弯曲的因素。 在运动过程中经常抓住树枝的灵长类动物似乎比在地面上行走的灵长类动物有更多弯曲的指骨。 因此，指骨在历史上对于解释化石物种（包括早期人类祖先）的行为非常有用。然而，我们不明白 1) 树栖运动机制的哪些方面导致指骨弯曲以及 2) 弯曲是如何发展的。 这项研究将采用新的分析（即有限元分析）和数据采集（即压力传感器垫、尸体上的应变仪）技术，通过比较活体树栖和陆生灵长类动物在运动过程中如何使用手来测试有关指骨曲率的现有假设。 最后，关于如何解释原始形态的争论，对于所有对从化石形态重建行为感兴趣的古生物学家来说都很重要，将通过检查指骨曲率是否随着生长过程中经历的负荷而发展，或者曲率是否仅仅是“系统发育包袱”来解决。